Tissue-engineered cartilage using cultured chondrocytes and reinforced with a periosteal explant for repair of articular cartilage

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 13671512
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: HIROSHIMA UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: YASUNAGA Yuji Hiroshima University Medical Hospital, Assistant Professor, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (40253075)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MOCHIDUKI Yu Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Research Associate, 大学院・医歯薬学総合研究科, 助手 (10284192)
• Project Period (FY): 2001 – 2002
• Keywords: Tissue engineering / Cartilage

Research Abstract

The use of tissue-engineered cartilage in the treatment of articular cartilage damage has been receiving attention. However, its clinical application has been challenged by the difficulty in its binding to the damaged area of the cartilage and its insufficient union with the underlying bone. As a means to overcome the drawbacks, we created a composite graft using tissue-engineered cartilage reinforced with a periosteal explant, conducted histological and biochemical evaluations, and showed initial in vivo data. The cultured chondrocytes derived from an articular cartilage of beagle were seeded onto a polyglycolic acid non-woven mesh with a fresh periosteal explant removed from the same beagle sutured to one side. Three-dimensional culture of the cells grown in petri dishes led to the construction of a hyaline cartilage with one side attached to a periosteal explant. Chondrogenesis of the periosteal explant was observed at the junction where the engineered cartilage was reinforced with a periosteal explant. The autologously grafted construct into a full-thickness defect on the acetabulum regenerated articular cartilage. The two-layered composite tissue construct consisting of a hyaline cartilage and a periosteal explant could provide a simple and effective osteochondral graft for articular cartilage repair.